"I have never stated or made preparations to go ahead or resign from Democratic Party."Nusa Dua (ANTARA News) - Deputy Chief of Democratic Party (PD)`s Supreme Council Marzuki Alie said he would not nominate himself as a general chairman for the party in its extraordinary congress in Sanur, Bali, on March 30-31, 2013.
"I have never stated or made preparations to go ahead or resign from Democratic Party," he said here on Tuesday.
According to Marzuki, he only had said that if cadres were willing to appoint PD Chief Patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as its general chairman, they should be supported.
"If cadres are willing to name Yudhoyono as PD chairman, I have to support them, because the voice of the party (cadres) is the voice of God in the context of a party. There should be no opposition," he said.
Several days ahead of the party`s extraordinary congress, a number of cadres from the regional executive boards have voiced their aspirations to name party founder Yudhoyono as its general chairman.
"We will see later cadres voice, if they want it we will support it. We will ask them all to support (Yudhoyono)`s nomination if it is the best for the party," Marzuki who is also the House Speaker said.
In an internal meeting held in the residence of Yudhoyono on Sunday, a number of regional executive board chairmen voiced aspirations to name Yudhoyono as the party`s general chairman.
"Chairmen of the Democratic Party`s Regional Executive Boards (DPD) were asked to put forward their aspirations. All DPD chairmen expressed their aspirations. But all aspirations have not yet been formulated," Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD)`s Supreme Council Jero Wacik said after the meeting.
Jero Wacik said that all chairmen of the DPDs voiced their aspirations, including a proposal that Yudhoyono be named general chairman of the party.
"Many have proposed that Yudhoyono should be named the party`s general chairman. It should be discussed in the first place because as a president Yudhoyono should give priority to state duties," Jero Wacik said.
Jero said that the ideas which were put forward by the DPDs were pure aspirations. There was no certain interest behind it. All of the aspirations were registered to be deliberated in the party`s extraordinary congress in Bali.
Regarding the implementation of the extraordinary congress, Marzuki said the central executive board had set up organizing and steering committees to organized the election of the ruling party`s new general chairman.
The extraordinary congress is held to elect the party`s new chief after former chief Anas Urbaningrum resigned following his naming as a suspect in a corruption case by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The election is important because by law only party`s chief is allowed to sign the list of legislative candidates that should be submitted to the General Elections Commission (KPU) soon before the legislative elections in 2014.
(Uu.A014/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
